Lemurs are found solely on the island of Madagascar, an island off of southeast Africa. They prefer more open areas in the south and typically walk on the ground or on large limbs in the trees. This differentiates them from other lemur species, which prefer forested areas and travel mostly in trees.

Ring-tailed lemurs live in groups of five to thirty members. They have distinct hierarchies that are enforced by frequent, aggressive confrontations between members. Females, who stay in the group for their entire lives, dominate the group. Males have a social structure that undergoes great upheaval during mating season. They tend to change groups at least once during their lifetime.

Ring-tailed lemurs have a reflective layer in the back of their eyes similar to that of cats. This allows them to have very good vision at night. The sense of smell is important to the lemur. The Ring-tailed lemur has a highly scented tail, which is used to warn other Ring-tailed lemurs.